Device for laying out orchards



' (No Model.)

J. B. YOUNT. DEVICE FOR LAYING OUT OROHARDS. No. 422,104. PatentedPeb.25,1890.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OE Ic-E.

JOHN BURNETT YOUNT, or DIXON, CALIFORNIA.

DEVICE FOR LAYING OUT ORCHARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,104, dated February25, 1890,

Application filed June 6, 18894 Serial No. 813,357. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN BURNETT YOUNT, of Dixon, Solano county, Stateof California, have invented an Improvement in Devices for Laying outOrchards; and I hereby declare for a more complete explanation of myinvention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section taken through the foot of one of the vertical postsand showing the means for holding and centering the stakes. Fig.3 is anenlarged View of the bottom of one of the posts with its adjustablecentral point and a stake in position beneath it. Fig. 4 shows thedevice for setting the tree.

In laying out orchards it is especially desirable that the trees shouldbe so set with relation to each other as to form rows in severaldirections from any given point,with open roads or spaces between themfor the purpose of cultivation, to gather fruit, and for symmetricalappearance. In order to effect this I employ a frame constructed asfollows:

A is the central post or support, which passes vertically through asleeve B in the center of a l1orizontally-graduated disk 0, this diskhaving its periphery divided into degrees, and such smaller divisions asmay be necessary for the purpose of accurate adjustment. Beneath thisdisk are radial arms D, the inner ends of which have flat plates withholes through them to fit around the lower part of the horizontal sleevebeneath the disk 0, and these arms are provided with clasps E, throughwhich pass extension-arms F. These arms are preferably grooved, as shownat G, and corresponding tongues II project from the bars D into thesegrooves when the bars F are passed through the guiding-straps E, so thatthese bars may be moved outwardly or inwardly to lengthen or shorten thearms, and

will be maintained in a perfect line with the bars D without loosenessor side shake. Vernier-plates I have their inner ends fitted to surroundthe sleeve B, and their outer ends are attached to the arms D justbeyond the edge of the disk O, and it will be manifest that the arms Dmaybe turned so as to stand at any desired angle with relation to eachother, and this angle may be accurately de-,

'usted with relation to the arms F. Throu h' the guides K pass thetwo-part extension-- posts L, the two parts of the posts sliding withinthe guides K, and also through the clamping-guides M, by which they arelocked at any desired point, this extension of the legs being necessaryupon uneven or rolling ground in order to maintain the arms D and F inthe horizontal position. In addition to this, the legs L are moved upand down within the guides K, so that while standing in aperfectly-vertical position the arms D and F will remain horizontal. Thehorizontal position of these arms is determined by means of the levelsN, which are fixed in the surfaces of the bars D, and by which theproper adjustment is ascertained. The vertical position of the legs Lmay also be determined by levels fixed in someportion of the bars, or byplumb-bobs suspended in channels in the legs and showing throughopenings, as shown at O in the left-hand leg in the drawings, Fig. 1.The legs Lhave racks a fixed upon them, and ratchet-wheels Z) have theirshafts journaled horizontally in the guides K, and provided withthumbmuts by which to turn them, so that the ratchet-wheels will raiseor depress the legs when turned by their engagement with the toothedracks.

In setting an orchard it is desirable that the trees should all standwith the relation to each other at the intersecting angles ofequilateral triangles, and in order to accomplish this the radial arms Dand F are fixed, by

two of them alternately, the trees may be set with great exactness.

In order to fix the points Where trees are to be set, I employ stakes P,which pass through guides Q upon the bottom of the legs L, and in orderto fix the stakes exactly in a central line the guides Q are made asshown in Fig. 2, that portion through which the stake is to pass beingof somewhat larger diameter than the stake and having the springs 1 Rfixed in it upon two sides, so that when the stake is introduced thesesprings will press the stake into one corner of the guide. That portionQ of the guide, which surrounds the leg L is of larger diameter than theguide Q, and this guide Q is set with relation to the clasp Q, so thatone of its sides is parallel with one of the sides of the clasp, whilethe angle into which the stake is forced by the springs is in such aposition that the center of the stake will be exactly in line throughthe center of the leg L, and when the stake is forced into the ground itwill keep exactly the desired mathematical position. These stakes arethus set after the ground is properly prepared and ready to receive thetrees.

YVhen the trees are to be set, I employ a board or plate S, having atone side an opening cut away, as shown at T, and through the two ends ofthis plate are holes, in which pins U are inserted. This plate is setupon the ground,'so that the slot T in the side exactly surrounds thestake P, which has been pre viously set, and the stake is withdrawn, thehole being made for the young tree to be set. The pins U being putintothe ground through the plate S, the tree is set, the hole partiallyfilled, watered, and left until the water has been absorbed, after whichthe hole is filled above the level of the ground, and the tree is setperfectly vertical by means of the post V, which projects upward fromthe plate S at one side of the opening T and is provided with a strapWV, which holds the tree in position while being fixed in place,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

v 1.. A device for laying out orchards, comprising the central graduateddisk and standard, the radial arms extending outwardly therefrom, andthe extension-sections fitted thereto and adjustable upon. said arms,substantially as described.

2. In a device for laying out orchards, the central graduated disk, theradial arms extending outwardly from the center of the said disk andhaving verniers, the sliding extensions guided upon said arms and fixedwith relation thereto, and the levels N, in combination with thevertical posts passing through guides at the ends of the arms andadjustable and fixed with relation thereto, substantially as described.

3. In a device for laying out orchards, the radial extension arms, thecentral graduated disk and verniers by which said arms sion-legs, andmechanism for raising and de- I JOHN BURNETT YOUNT.

Witnesses:

HERMAN EPPINGER, EDGAR McFADYEN.

